Clothes drying apparatus



July 6, 1937. 5 BRlGGs 2,085,788

CLOTHES DRYING APPARATUS Filed .March 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ROBERT S. BRIGGS.

BY ATTORN July 6, 1937. R. s. BRIGGS. 4 2,085,788

CLOTHES DRYING APPARATUS Fi'led March 14, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES ATENT QFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes drying apparatus.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel device whereby heated air is passed through the clothes while they are held in an extended position.

Another object is to provide a novel garment drying device with novel means whereby a garment regains its proper size and shape while drymg.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes drying apparatus including a cylinder having a plurality of outlets and wherein means is provided to force air into the cylinder and wherein each outlet is separately controlled by a valve member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment drying apparatus which includes means to maintain a gentle stretching tension in the garment during the entire drying process so that most of the forming of the garment takes place during the latter part of the drying. Another object of the invention is to provide a garment drying device with novel means for engaging the lower end of a garment to pull it into position so that the garment will dry without undue shrinking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes drying apparatus including a heat chamber with novel means for controlling the passage of air from the heat chamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes drying apparatus including improved means for supporting a garment while it is being dried.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my improved clothes drier;

Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the drier;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the middle portion of my improved drier;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the front portion of my device; 4

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the garment holder in an expanded position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end view showing my device as used to dry a pair of trousers;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the details of my trouser engaging mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a' view taken on line B8 of Fig. 1 showing the garment holder in a retracted position; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1 showing the air control valve.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have shown my invention as embodied in a clothes drying apparatus which is indicated generally at E0. As shown the apparatus II] includes a rectangular housing l2 which consists of a top lit, a bottom I4, and sides B5. The sides.

i5 are provided with apertures I6- (see Fig. 4) which are adapted to be closed by closures l1 hinged to each side H; as at l8 to swing inwardly.

Each of the closures is provided with a latch l9 which when the closures are in one position engage the side of the apertures 16 as shown in Fig. 1 and which engage the opposite closure when in the position shown in Fig. 4. The latches H] are staggered-along the edge of the closure to provide proper clearance. a

The housing i2 is secured as by clamps 20, to a flange 2! which includes a cylindrical collar 22 which is fixed within an elongated cylinder 23 which is provided with a pair of leg members 24. The end of the cylinder 23 remote from the housing i2 is closed by a closure member 25.

A plurality of upwardly directed cylindrical pipes '26 are mounted on-the upper portion of the cylinder 23 and communicate with the interior thereof. Each of the pipes 26 has a rotatable shaft 21 extending thereacross to which a bracket member 28 is secured. Each of the brackets 28 has an air control valve 29 thereon which is disposed so that when in a horizontal position it closes the pipes 26. The shaft 21 is so disposed that as the valve 29 is rocked it enters the cylinder 23and deflects a part of the air stream in the cylinder into the pipes. One end of each rod 21 extends through a pipe 26 and through a housing 30 secured to the outside of the pipe 26. A handle 3| is secured to the end of the rods 2! and is adapted to be operated to control theposition of the valve 29. Suitable clamping means such as wing nuts 32 are provided to secure the valves 29 in adjusted position. 1

Secured to the flange '2! I provide a spider member 32 which supports an electric motor 33. The motor 33 includes a shaft which-extends into the end ofthe cylinder 23 and on'which a fan 35 is mounted. The fan is rotated by the motor 33 so as to cause airto be drawn from the housing 12, through the flange portion 22, into the cylinder 23 and out through the pipes 26. g

In order to heat the air passing into the hous' ing I2 I provide a heating coil 36 which is formed of suitable tubular material such as copper and includes a plurality of vertical portions 3'! which are adjacent their ends joined by U-shaped bent portions 38 which are directed either sidewardly or backwardly. The coil passes through suitable fins 38 and the coil further includes an inlet 39 through which steam may be led to the coil and an outlet 66 through which the steam may be dis charged.

Adjacent each of the pipes 26 provide a 0 hollow standard 4| which extends diametrically through and projects above the cylinder 23 and is secured at the lower end as by a bolt 42. Intermediate its length each standard is secured to the cylinder 23 by a collar 43 and set screw 44. The portion of the standard within the cylinder 23 serves to stiffen and reenforce the latter.

The hollow standards 4| adjacent the pipes A and B receive support members 45 which are held in place by suitable screws 46. These supports 45 are provided with loop portions 41 which may receive garment hangers as shown at 48 above the pipe B.

Surrounding each of the pipes 26 are a plurality of apertures 49 through which cords 50 pass. Each of these cords is provided at its lower end with a weight 5! which may be made of lead, and at its upper end is secured to an at taching member shown as a clothespin 52, such as are in common use for securing garments on a clothesline. iThese clothespins 52, disposed adjacent the pipes 28, are movable from the solid line position shown adjacent the pipe B in Fig. 1 to the dotted line position where they engage. the

lower portion of a garment G to pull the garment gently downward.

Disposed upon thepipe C I. show a cap member 53 which includes a lower straight portion 54 which surrounds the pipe C and which also includes a truncated conical portion 55 upon which a cross bar 55 is secured. A transverse guard 51 is mounted above the bar 56 and supports a lateral guard member 58.

A garment holder 59, is secured to the bar 56 below the guards 5i and 58 by a pair of shafts 50. The holder 59 comprises a pair of arcuate arms 6! having lugs 62'adjacent one end thereof which are pivoted about the shafts 60. (See Figs. 5 and 8.) An operating handle 63 includes a stem 64 which is slidably mounted in a tube 65 secured to the bar 56. A screw 65 isadapted to lock the stemin position.

The stem 54 is bent upwardly to form a portion 6'! on which a cross member 58 is mounted. The. ends of the cross member are pivotally connected to one end of links 59, the other ends of which are pivoted to lugs 10 which are secured to the arms 6|. 7 v

The hollow standards 4| adjacent the pipe C receive a support member H which is held in place by a screw 72 and which includes a horizontal portion 73 to which a pair of downwardly depending inverted U-shaped members 14 are attached. A pair of pulleys 75 also depend from the portion 73 and support a cord 16 which passes therethrough and to one end of which a counterweight l'l is attached. V

A cross piece 18 is securedintermediate the ends thereof to the end of the cord 75 opposite the counterweight and is slidably positioned between the legs of the U-shaped members 74. A trouser hanger indicated generally at 19 is securedat each end of the cross piece 18. The hangers l9 each includes a stem 88 the lower end of which is secured to a pivot block 8| which is apertured as at 82 to receive pins 83 on which are pivoted trouser engaging arms 84 which inward and in turn, through the levers 81, urge the arms 84 outward. A circumferential ring 89 limits the upward movement of the collar 86 and a pair of stops 90 integral with the block 8| limit the outward and downward movement of the arms 84.

In operation the fan 35 is started and air is drawn from the housing l2 through the collar 22, the cylinder 23 and is discharged through the pipes 25 which have the valves 29 open.

When it is desired to employ cold air the closures I 'l are positioned as shown in Fig. 4 and air is drawn in through the apertures It. When warm air is to be used the closures H are positioned in the apertures it as shown in Fig. 1

and the air is drawn past the heating tubes the waist thereof is positioned about the guards 51 and 58, the handle 53 is pulled outwardly spreading the .arms 59 until the waist is of proper size when the parts are clamped in position.

The collars 86 are then pulled along the stem,

35 until they engage a ring The arms 84 are then in a retracted position and are inserted in the bottom of the trousers and are then allowed to extend under the influence of the spring 89 until the trouser is firmly held. The counterweight holds the trousers under slight tension while they are drying.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented an improved clothes drying apparatus which is highly efiicient in use and or economical manufacture.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow housing, a motor, a fan adapted to be driven by said motor; a plurality of pipes extending outwardly from said housing, said housing having a plurality of apertures therein surrounding said pipes, cords passing through said apertures, said cords being weighted on the lower end thereof within said cylinder, the other end of said cords on the exterior of the housing surrounding the pipe having dress engaging members thereon.

2. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow housing having a motor therein, a fan adapted to be driven by said motor, a pipe extending outwardly from said housing, a hollow standard extending through said housing, a support member slidably engaging said standard, said pipe having a cap thereon, a trouser Waist engaging member disposed onsaid cap, said member comprising a pair of arcuate pivoted arm members, means to simultaneously move said arm members about their pivots, means to lock said members in adjustedposition, a pair of trouser leg engaging members, each of said trouser leg engaging members including a body having a pair of pivoted arms thereon, means slidably engaging said body and pivotally connected to said arms to move the latter, spring means tending to urge the arms in one direction, a cross bar on which said arms are mounted, a bracket, said bracket having dependent spaced parallel arms engaging said cross member and a counterweight for said cross bar.

3. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow cylinder having a housing movably securedat one end thereof, a motor, a fan .adjacent the juncture of said cylinder and said housing and adapted to be driven by said motor, a heating coil disposed at the end of said housing remote from said motor, said housing having openings on the opposite sides thereof, closures for said openings, said closures being pivoted to swing inwardly and each closure being of a width equal to substantially one half the width of said housing, means to hold said closures in a closed position to allow passage from said heating device to said fan, said closures being adapted to be disposed within said housing to shut oif communication between said heating coil and said fan and a pipe extending outwardly from said cylinder.

4. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow cylinder having a housing movably secured at one end thereof, a motor, a fan adjacent the juncture of said cylinder and said housing and adapted to be driven by said motor, a heating coil disposed at the end of said housing remote from said motor, said housing having openings on the opposite sides thereof, closures for said openings, said closures being pivoted to swing inwardly and each closure being of a width equal to substantially one half the width of said housing, means to hold said closures in a closed position to allow passage from said heating device to said fan, said closures being adapted to be disposed within said housing to shut off communication between said heating coil and said fan, a plurality of pipes extending outwardly from said cylinder and means to control passage of air through each of said pipes.

5. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow cylinder, a motor, a fan adapted to be driven by said motor, a plurality of pipes extending outwardly from said cylinder, a shaft transversely disposed in each of said pipes, an air valve on each of said shafts, said shafts being positioned whereby said valve when rocked has a portion thereof projecting into said cylinder to deflect air into its associated pipe, a hollow standard extending through said cylinder, a support member slidably engaging said standard, one of said pipes having a cap thereon, a trouser waist engaging member disposed on said cap, said member comprising a pair of arcuate pivoted arm members, means to simultaneously move said members about their pivots and means to lock said members in adjusted position, a pair of trouser leg engaging members, each of said members includ ing a body having a pair of pivoted arms thereon, means slidably engaging said body and pivotally connected to said arms to move the latter, spring means tending to urge the arms in one direction, a cross bar on which said arms are mounted, a bracket, said bracket having depending spaced parallel arms engaging said cross member and a weight member engaging said cross bar.

6. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow cylinder having a housing movably secured at one end thereof, a motor, a fan adjacent the juncture of said cylinder and said housing and adapted tobe driven by said motor, a heating coil disposed at the end of said housing remote from said motor, said housing having openings on the opposite sides thereof, closures for said openings, said closures being pivoted to swing inwardly and each closure being of a width equal to substantially one half the width of said housing, means to hold said closures in .a closed position to allow passage from said heating device to said fan, said closures being adapted to be disposed within said housing to shut off communication between said heating coil and said fan, a plurality of pipes extending outwardly from said cylinder, an airvalve for each of said pipes, a hollow standard extending through said cylinder, a support member slidably engaging said standard, one of said pipes having a cap thereon, a trouser waist engaging member disposed on said cap, said member comprising a pair of arcuate pivoted arm members, means to simultaneously move said members about their pivots and means to lock said members in adjusted position, a pair of trouser leg engaging members, each of said members including a body having a pair of pivoted arms thereon, means slidably engaging said body and pivotally connected to said arms to move the latter, spring means tending to urge the arms in one direction, a cross bar on which said arms are mounted, a bracket, said bracket having depending spaced parallel arms engaging said cross member and a counterweight for said cross bar.

'7. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow housing having a motor therein, a fan adapted to be driven by said motor, a plurality of pipes extending outwardly from said housing, a shaft in each of said pipes, an air valve on each of said shafts, said shafts being disposed whereby said Valve when rocked has a portion thereof projecting into said housing to deflect air into the pipe, said housing having a plurality of dress engaging members thereon surrounding each pipe, means normally urging said dress engaging members towards said housing, and means above each pipe for supporting a dress. 7

8. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow housing having amo-tor therein, a fan'adapted to be driven by said motor, an outlet pipe on said housing, a support member adjustably mounted on said pipe, a trouser waist engaging member disposed above said pipe, said member comprising a pair of arcuatep-ivoted arm members, means to move said members about their pivots, means to lock said arm members in adjusted position, a pair of trouser leg engaging members, each of said trouser leg engaging members including a body having a pair of pivoted arms thereon, means slidably engaging each body and pivotally connected to said arms to move the latter, a

cross piece on which said bodies are mounted, means to support said cross piece on said support member, a bracket on said support member, said bracket having dependent spaced parallel weight for said cross piece.

9. In a garment drying apparatus, a hollow cylinder having a housing movably secured at one end thereof, a motor, a fan adjacent the juncture of said cylinder and said housing and adapted to be driven by said motor, heating means in said housing, said housing having openings on the opposite sides thereof, closures for said openings, said closures being pivoted to swing inwardly and each closure being of a width equal to substantially one half the width of said housing, said closures when in a closed position allowing passage from said heating device to said fan, said closures being adapted to be disposed within said housing to shut off communication between said heating means and said fan and a pipe extending outwardly from said cylinder.

ROBERT S. BRIGGS.

arms engaging said cross piece and a counter- 

